Luvs, that's a beautiful chandi!!!! Mine came with the house as well. It has glass globes but I broke one cleaning it awhile back so I just took them all off. I have a new one someday dh will get it installed until then the crystals are goin on the tree!! LOL!! Sandi the beads do not want to stay in place!!! Once they were about right I took some wire and wrapped around each section to keep them in place. It's one strand of beads just went around twice. Wrapping the strand around each arm of the light twice each time. I'm thinking about using some more of the ribbon to wrap the chain from the ceiling. Thanks for all the comments everyone!

I particularly like the Valspar Signature products (Lowes). I prefer them to the glazes sold at Home Despot because of their translucentcy (gad I spelled that wrong) anyhoo, their see through ness LOL I'd pick up a couple of jugs of it...you can do the entire room with one small one, (about $8) but I prefer larger ones since I like to know I have enough ($16). I'd grab a couple of smaller jugs in a pearl/oyster finish, soft gold, and silver and play with them on a sample board first. Get a nice big fat bruch and learn the dry brush technique if you've not done it. Basically you work with next to nothing on the brush in X patterns. When it's applied, with the color's you're using and the effect you want to acheive, you'll barely see it. Personally I'm going to guess you'll end up with a half half mix of either gold or silver (what are your accent pieces? let that lead you) and the pearl tone. (It might be called golden opal...) It will barely be visible when dry, and when you light up the room...ohhh la la :) I will show you my dining room set for dinner...but please note, the paint base is SCHOOL BUS YELLOW! and then it's glazed with a deep gold glaze and another in buff. It's a room designed to show off my venetian glassware and I wanted over the top goldness LOL So don't let it scare you from the glaze I'm suggesting. I was going for a great deal more drama in my room than what I'm suggesting for yours. My room is meant to be at it's best only after the lights are dimmed and the wine is flowing :) It's about the chandelier and the candles and the soft glow of the entire space: By the way...here's another fabulous dining room in a house we're hoping to buy soon...it's another great evening space: (You can see I'm drawn to dark tones)

kimmieb - those are both gorgeous chandeliers! Thanks so much for posting them. Unfortunately, I've already tried to convince DH and can't get him to buy off on anything this ornate. Also, I know they would definitely go with the style of the chairs and table, but I also have a mix of rustic iron and leather throughout the house (my love for early American and English antiques mixed with DH's fondness for the "Old West" has resulted in me aiming for "English hunting lodge") so I think I need to tie this look in to the shabby chic dining room somehow so everything flows. I can't use lanterns because I'm now wired for one center fixture and need more light, and I understand your comment regarding the last fixture maybe being too contemporary, which is perhaps why I've held off ordering it. I'd be getting the antique bronze finish, but it's hard not seeing it in person. The 8' ceiling height is limiting, but I do agree the size of the table needs something with mass. At the same time, I'd like to find an iron chandelier that's pretty and delicate, yet rustic. It's hard to find one that's not too massive, or Spanish, or Mediterranean, etc. Sigh . . . hopefully, one will come to me :-)

LOVE, love, love everyone's chandeliers !! I'm going to attempt to add pictures in this post ... I'll probably mess up, so just in case, I'm attaching the link to my blog, and if you scroll down (through Parts 2 and then 1 of my Holiday Home Tour), you'll see my various chandeliers dressed for the holidays !! Take care, Becca http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wccJVIKSNYA/SyI8WT2GDPI/AAAAAAAAAEw/DMBUYpn2m9o/s1600/157.JPG http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wccJVIKSNYA/SyOvhr5BKzI/AAAAAAAAAOw/zT-LBaRzc94/s1600/004.JPG http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wccJVIKSNYA/SyJwZsZN1SI/AAAAAAAAAHI/TL4hdV-ZKKY/s320/073.JPG Here is a link that might be useful: Adventures in Decorating